Planned Parenthood pushes for Medicaid expansion in N.H.

Wednesday

Jun 12, 2013 at 2:00 AM

CONCORD — About 38,000 New Hampshire women would be among those who qualify for health care coverage if the state expands Medicaid to cover poor adults under the federal health care overhaul, officials with Planned Parenthood of Northern New England said Tuesday.

NORMA LOVE

CONCORD — About 38,000 New Hampshire women would be among those who qualify for health care coverage if the state expands Medicaid to cover poor adults under the federal health care overhaul, officials with Planned Parenthood of Northern New England said Tuesday.

Women would be disproportionately affected if the state fails to take advantage of the optional Medicaid benefit because the majority of poor adults in the state are women, Planned Parenthood officials and members of the New Hampshire Women's Health Network told reporters at a Statehouse news conference urging the Republican-controlled Senate to agree with the governor and House and authorize the expansion.

"Republican lawmakers are playing politics with women's health and New Hampshire tax dollars," said Jennifer Frizzell, senior policy adviser to Planned Parenthood.

Rebecca Hutchinson, director of Lutheran Social Services In-Home Care, said her organization cannot afford to offer coverage to many of its 300-plus home health aides. She said many work part time and their hours fluctuate when someone they are caring for winds up hospitalized or dies. She said it is ironic that the aides that help keep people in their homes and out of institutions lack health care.

"New Hampshire's caregivers deserve care," she said.

Barbara Marzelli, a 50-year-old mother of two from Newbury, said she has filled the role of caregiver for her family for years, but has no health insurance.

"I'll be one of the 38,000 if Medicaid is expanded," she said.

Planned Parenthood conducted a study of its clients to determine 38,000 of the estimated 58,000 or more poor adults who would qualify for Medicaid under expansion would be women, Frizzell said.

The Senate's budget calls for studying the expansion instead. The Senate and House could begin negotiations over a compromise state budget as early as Friday and whether to expand Medicaid is one of the biggest hurdles to reaching an agreement by a June 20 deadline.

Gov. Maggie Hassan, a Democrat, and the Democratic-controlled House included funding to implement the expansion so New Hampshire health care providers would share an estimated $2.5 billion over seven years at an estimated $85 million state cost.

Hassan said it appears she needs legislative approval to expand Medicaid. She has declined to say whether she would veto the state budget if it blocks expansion.

New Hampshire's Medicaid program now covers low-income children, parents with nondisabled children under 18, pregnant women, senior citizens and people with disabilities. The expansion would add anyone under age 65 who earns up to 138 percent of federal poverty guidelines, which is about $15,000 for a single adult.

New Hampshire could refuse or postpone a decision, but there are benefits for states that choose to expand Medicaid now. The U.S. government will pick up the entire cost in the first three years and 90 percent over the long haul. Hassan said delaying expansion could cost New Hampshire up to $340 million next year.

Republican leaders are wary of federal promises to keep up the commitment.

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